My name is: Allison Conrad.
My stomping ground is: Los Angeles.
I’m known for being: CEO/co-founder of Arey.
I'm talking about: The first functional beauty brand to target gray hair with a proactive, science-driven approach. Think of it as wrinkle cream for your hair.
You can find it at: On our website areygray.com and on Goop.
Before I launched this, I was: Running and advising consumer brands online and in retail.
My interest was sparked when: I saw my first gray hair. I'll never forget that day. I wanted to do something proactive about it because I was using wrinkle cream and SPF to slow down the aging process of my face and skin, as well as exercising to maintain my health, but I didn't have any options to proactively maintain my hair.
What inspired me to start this was: When my dad, an MD and pharmaceutical consultant, read an NIH (National Institutes of Health) article in 2019 linking an increased risk of cancer with the use of hair dye. He validated my idea to create a line of products that could help slow the progression of gray hair and even help with re-pigmentation.
The idea behind it is: We currently offer two products: our daily supplement, Not Today, Gray, and our clean topical serum, To The Root. Both combat gray hair from the inside-out and outside-in (and also help with thicker, fuller, softer, glossier and healthier hair).
What makes it different is: Gray hair hasn’t had a major makeover since hair dye was invented in 1907. We are approaching aging hair through a healthier, more proactive lens, so that people can age more gracefully.
Our secret ingredient is: Our combination of Western science-backed ingredients as well as Eastern medicine ingredients. Every ingredient has a purpose and is backed by research and results.
My favorite lesser-known detail is: There is only one gene that has been linked to gray hair: it is the IRF-4 gene and it is thought to account for only 30% of gray hair, leaving a large portion up to diet and lifestyle. Smoking is another factor that causes gray hair. With Not Today, Gray, we are delivering 13 vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to the body to help grow better, healthier hair from the inside-out.
It’s especially important to boost our health right now because: We are so stressed as a society and this affects not only our health but also how we look. Gray hair was often seen in the scientific community as a “vanity" issue, but now it is being seen more as a sign or message from the body of nutrient deficiencies.
My favorite new ritual for self-care is: Literally stopping to smell the roses. I find myself so tied to my phone, answering emails as quickly as possible, and have started to take walks in the hills near my home without my phone to enjoy nature without distraction.